Improvement in devices for teaching penmanship



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0. R. WELLS. Device for Teaching Penmanship. No. 217,499. PatentedJu|y15,1879.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. R. WELLS. Device for Teaching Penmanship.

No. 217,499. Patented July 15,1879.

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T ES- AT NT OFFICE,

CHARLES R. WELLS, 0F CLIFTON SPRINGS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENTJN'DEVICES FOR, TEACHING PENMANSHIP.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 2l7,499, dated July 15,1879; application filed January 9, 1879.

' ship by assuring the retention of the correct position of the handwhen writing.

In the present instance the invention consists of a curved body, whichis one-half of an ellipsoidal-shaped piece or body, formed of wood,rubber, or other suitable material, the curved upper surface of whichassimilates to the shape of the palm of the hand when closed,

such body being provided with two attached rings arran ged to receiveand hold the third and fourth fingers in position, so that they restupon the tips of the nails, and to prevent them from being straightenedWhile writing. Such block is also provided with a bifurcated metal bandor brace and an adjustable flexible strap, by means of which theapparatus is secured in the hand, the lower arm of such brace projectingoutwardly from the base of the ellipsoidalshaped body to prevent thehand from turning, and also acting as a movable rest for the hand whilewriting, all of which, together with the details of construction andoperation, will be fully pointed out and described.

In the drawings, which form an essential part of this specification,Figure 1 is a plan view of the complete apparatus in which my inventionis fully embodied. Figs. 2 and 3 are views showing its application tothe hand when in use and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are reverse views of theapparatus, showing modifications in construction.

' The same reference letters marked on the various figures of thedrawings will locate and point out corresponding parts.

This invention is designed as an aid to teachers of penmanship as wellas to the pupils; and its object is to insure the perfect and correctposition of the hand while writing, and to prevent any tendency on thepart of the pupil to lose the position by carelessness or otherwise.

Attempts have been made to produce an apparatus of this nature; but,owing to the lightness of parts and ill-fitting shapes, they have provenfailures.

The apparatus here shown not only fits the shape of the hand perfectly,but, what is more It has the further advantage of sideratum. The shapeof the body insures steadiness as it is grasped by the hand. This isimportant, and cannot be accomplished by:

the use of a bent-wire hand-rest.

A represents the body of the apparatus, which is practically one-half ofan ellipsoidalshaped block of equal proportions, the hyperbolic shape ofthe upper face approximating closely to the shape'of the palm of thehand when it is closed upon it, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This block orbody may be formed from wood, rubber, paper-pulp, or from any othersimilar suitable material.

B B are two rings, bent from a single piece of wire of suitable. shape,such rings projecting from one or the front side of the body A, and onthe same plane as the flat bottom thereof, and to which they are rigidlysecured in any approved manner. 0 is a bifurcated flat band or brace andrest, secured to the flat bottom of the body A, and projecting from theright-hand end thereof, the upper arm, 0, being raised and curved to theleft to overr-each the body A and the hand of the writer, as shown inFig.2, its extreme end being shaped to form a hook, c, for the purposesas will presently be fully described.

The lower arm, d, of the band or brace 0 projects outwardly to the rightfrom the bottom of the body A, on the Same plane, its extreme end beingslightly curved, thus forming a movable yielding rest, assisting thewriter in the movement of his hand, besides preventing the hand fromturning over to the right. To the left-hand end of the body A isattached an adjusting flexible strap, D, which, after the apparatus isclasped in the hand, is brought over and secured to the book a of thearms a,

the band being provided with a series of eye lets or holes, 6, for thepurpose of adjustment.

It will thus be seen that, although the apparatus is firm in the hand,it is not rigid or unyielding in its other parts, the hand being leftfree in its movements.

Thebody A is of such shape that it will fit nearly all hands, while theadjustable securingstrap will adapt itself to all sizes and shapes ofhands.

Referring to Figs. 4, 5, and 6, which show modifications of my inventionas applied to the body A, heretofore described, it will be seen that therings B B can be simple rings, and secured to the bottom of the body bymeans of elastic cords or bands f,- or aflat plate, g, may project fromthe bottom of the body, and be provided with two holes, h h, whichcorrespond to the two rings B B; or, the body A might be dispensed with,and the plate g only used, the rear face of such plate being shaped tothe contour of the hand, as shown in Fig. 6; but

, in all these cases the bifurcated band or brace O and the flexiblestrap D form an essential element.

I claim as my invention 1. In a combined hand brace, guide, and rest forpenmen, the combination of a body having its uppper face shaped toconform to the shape of the hand when closed upon it, two ringsprojecting from the face of the body for receivin g and controlling theposition ofthe third and fourth fingers of the hand, a rest projectingfrom the right-hand end of the body, a

spring brace or band projecting from the righthand end of the body andcurved to the left to overreach the body and hand when in use,

and aflexible adjusting-strap attached to the left-hand end of the body,and provided with a means of attachment to the overreaching brace orband, all substantially as and for the purposes herein shown and setforth.

2. The combination of the ellipsoidal body A, rings B B, projecting rest41, overreaching spring-brace 0, and adjusting flexible strap D, allarranged, applied, and adapted to be operated as and for the purposesherein shown and set forth. a

3. As a modification, the. combination of the ellipsoidal body A, ringsB B, elastic cords or hands f f, projecting rest d, overreachingspring-brace 0, and adjusting flexible strap D, all arranged, applied,and adapted to be operated as and for the purposes herein shown andset'forth.

4. As a modification, the combination of the ellipsoidal body A, plateg, having openings h h, projecting rest d, overreaching springbrace 0,and adjusting flexible strap D, all arranged, applied, and adapted to beoperated substantially as and for the purposes herein shown and setforth.

5. As a modification, the combination of the fiat plate g, conformed tothe shape of the hand, and provided with openings h h, proj eetin g restd, overreaehin g spring-brace c, and adjusting flexible strap D, allarranged, applied, and adapted to be operated as and for the purposessubstantially herein shown and set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day ofDecember, 1878.

. CHARLES R. WELLS.

Witnesses:

D. M. WELLs, H. A. WELLS.

